PET CONCERNS

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After some days of training Nell this way, I could stand in one spot while she drove the sheep away from me. When she had them out a ways, I sent her around them and let her bring them back.

Around this time I started giving Nell jobs to do so she would feel important, jobs like holding the sheep in a corner while I checked their hoofs or trimmed the wool around their eyes. I also taught Nell how to go in behind sheep that are up against a fence and chase them away from it.

Get Back Out

To teach Nell to get back out (go off and herd in a stray cluster of sheep), I chased five or so sheep to one end of my pasture and worked another bunch of sheep with her at the other end. After about five minutes of this, I said, "Nell, get back out." Then I took her by the collar and pointed to the other sheep. When she saw them, I sent her around them and had her bring them back to join the other sheep.

Soon I could block her off with my pole from the bunch she was working, say "Get back out" plus the direction command, and she would go after the other bunch. With more work, I only had to say "Get back out" and point to the bunch I wanted her to go after. I think that, in time, I won't even need to point.

I want to teach her to shed the sheep soon — to cut out certain sheep and keep them separate from the others.

Penning

Dec. 22:We built an 8' X 8' pen for use in teaching Nell to pen the sheep.

Dec. 23:I tried Nell with the pen for the first time today. She got them in with little trouble.

The most recent thing I've taught Nell is to pen the sheep (to drive them into a pen). I moved five sheep to the pasture and stood at the pen's gate. I used my long pole to keep Nell off the sheep. In penning, the dog must stay on her feet at all times and move quietly so as not to panic the sheep. When the sheep were in the pen, I closed the gate and walked away with her so she felt she had completed a job.

After a few minutes of this, I sent Nell around back on the outside of the pen to lie down while I chased the sheep out. After a week, I penned the sheep and left the gate open and downed Nell in the opening while I went inside. I checked the sheep over, pretending I was giving them shots or examining their feet while Nell held them in.

Some Do's and Don'ts

You can train a working sheep dog yourself if you follow this training process and are patient. Some very good reference books are The Versatile Border Collie by Janet E. Larson, The Farmer's Dog by John Holmes and Anybody Can Do It by Pope Robertson.

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